How do I begin to get organized?

It’s the beginning of a new year. There seem to be only 3 topics everyone thinks about this time of year: how to get out of debt, how to lose weight and how to get your house clean and organized. Just look at all the magazines or TV shows. People are talking about it everywhere. I myself am not immune to thinking about any of these.

I was sitting, gazing around my domain and looking at the mess. I had really let things go. As I was looking, I started thinking, “I need to get busy and clean things up but where do I start?” (not to mention that I felt too exhausted to start). “I just can’t do it,” I told myself. I’m too tired. I then realized what I was saying. The reality was that I could do it, I was just tired and didn’t want to do it.

With this in mind, I made myself get up and start, beginning by clearing the one pile of things in my kitchen that had been driving me crazy for ages. When I was done it looked so good I was energized and started on another spot. Before I knew it, I had the whole kitchen picked up and it hadn’t even taken me 30 minutes.

That day, it dawned on me how often we aren’t honest with ourselves, even in the excuses we use for not doing things. When I said, “I can’t do it,” that really wasn’t the truth. I could do it, I just didn’t want to do it or feel like doing it so, to ease my conscience, I told myself, “I can’t do it.” There’a a big difference in the meanings.

“I can’t do it.”

What would happen if each time we say “I can’t do it” we would change it to “I don’t want to do it because it will be a lot of hard work and/or sacrifice”? Saying it that way might give us more pause for thought.

“I don’t know how to do it.”

Then you need to learn how. In this day and age we have access to so much knowledge there is almost no reason for not finding out how to do something. Years ago, before the Internet, before information was so easy to get, when people didn’t know how to do something they did it by trial and error until they got it right. Today, more often than not, we seem to think when we say we don’t know how to do something it means we don’t have to bother to try or do it. It is easier for someone else to do it for us.

I always think of Thomas Edison and how it took him over a thousand tries to make the light bulb. Am I glad he didn’t say, “I can’t” or “I don’t know how.” Do you see what an impact excuses can make on our life and the lives of others?

You don’t have to learn to be an expert in everything or to do everything as well as someone else. You just need a good general knowledge that allows you to do what needs to be done.

I love it when people use “I don’t know how” as an excuse when it comes to cleaning. Do you really not know how to pick up the trash off of the living room floor or put those dirty clothes in the hamper?

Some say, “I don’t know to stop spending.” Maybe if you only put what you absolutely need in your basket, it would be a good start. Most 6 year olds know if they only have a dollar to spend they can only buy something for a dollar. It’s not a hard thing to learn.

“I don’t know where to begin.”

In most cases, it really doesn’t matter where you begin. The important thing is just to begin.

If you are trying to get out of debt, begin by stopping your spending. That step alone will make a big difference. If you want to lose weight, stop eating so much. It’s interesting that in both of these areas you begin by stopping something. If you are trying to clean your home, you can pretty much start anywhere. Just get up and move.

The next time you hear yourself saying these things, stop, pause and think “Am I being honest or do I sound just like my 10 year old when he or she is trying to get out of doing the chores or homework.” Hmmm? I wonder where they learned their excuses from? I know I had to pause and stop myself several times this past week.

If these excuses have become like a comfortable old sweater, check out our website and books to help you take off the old sweater and get fitted for a new one. You will find so many ideas to help inspire you to do things when you think you can’t, to help show you how to do it and to show you where to begin.

I will keep sharing tips and ideas to get out of debt, lose weight and clean in the future. Can we do it? Yes we can. (Well, for those of us who can get out of bed today — this is a little side joke for those with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or Fibromyalgia. : )

       -Jill

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Stop Paying Late Fees On Credit Cards And Other Bills

Here’s something to think about: Did you know that late fees on people’s credit cards account for 1/3 of the bank’s income?

Paying your bills on time is one of the easiest ways to save money. You don’t have to give up anything or do anything that takes a lot of work. You just write a check, put it in an envelope (which is usually provided for you) and mail it. Many people pay bills online now, which is just as quick.

Putting off paying a bill doesn’t mean it will somehow go away. It just means that you’re going to have a BIGGER bill to pay. For some reason, many of us tend to be like ostriches when it comes to our bills.

Our pastor was talking last Sunday about how ostriches aren’t too bright. It started me thinking about how much like ostriches we are sometimes when it comes to our bills.

• An ostrich buries its head in the sand, thinking if it can’t see its enemy, the enemy can’t see it and the enemy will go away. Never mind that the ostrich’s huge body is sticking out in plain view.

  In the same way, many of us think if we bury our bills under a pile of papers and we can’t see them, they will just go away.

• Ostriches have little wings that they flap all the time, thinking they can fly and are going somewhere, but the reality is that their wings don’t work and they aren’t going anywhere at all.

  In the same way, we often flap our wings doing non-productive things with our finances, like spending money on things that we think make us feel good. We think we are flying high and living the good life when we are really going nowhere.

  Some of us think we are saving money by using energy efficient light bulbs and turning off lights, but then we turn around and pay hundreds of dollars a year to operate a large freezer that is mostly empty or is full of food we never use.

• There is one thing an ostrich is really good at and that is running– running very, very fast away from things. How often are we like that?

  Instead of standing firm and facing our problems, we think it is easier to turn tail and run as fast as we can to get away from our problems.

  Please don’t get angry with what I just said. Instead, consider my words and be honest about your situation.

If you find my statement about late fees hard to believe, here are some numbers. These numbers are ballpark figures, but I tried to get as close as I could to average. Take a look at your own numbers and check to see what is happening in your life. Don’t bury your head in the sand.

Assuming that late fees average $35 each:

• 5 credit card bills paid late = $175 a month, $2,100 a year
• 10 credit card bills paid late = $350 a month, $4,200 a year

But it gets worse. If you have a nice low interest rate, paying your bill late usually causes the interest rate to jump up to 30% after the first time you are late. That means if you borrow $1,000 you will be paying $300 interest every year.

If you have $1,000 balance on credit cards that have been reset to 30% interest, your interest on:

• 5 cards = $1,500 a year
• 10 cards = $3,000 a year

I think you are getting the idea. So often, I hear moms say, "I wish I could stay home", or "There is no way we could live on one income," but it IS possible. In some cases, one person’s entire income is mostly going to paying late fees and interest on credit cards and other bills. This is why I get so passionate about controlling your debt. Once you learn to control it, you can radically change your whole life and lifestyle for the better.

      -Jill

Photo By: wsssst

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Here’s a real life example of a great way to teach your kids about money.

I was on welfare for a while when my kids were younger. Of course, getting only one check per month made the lack of cash flow more obvious. One day, when I said we couldn’t afford something, they asked, "Why not – you just got that big check?!"

So, I sat them down and wrote the numbers down side by side. I wrote how much the check was on one side and how much I had to pay to others on the other side. I subtracted as I went and they saw the "big" check going down faster than they realized.

They never bugged me after that quite like they had before. I derived the idea from a different idea about how to show kids the realities of cost and the dreams they have about sports cars, big houses, etc. I just adapted it for my situation. I know most parents don’t really want to tell their salaries, but sometimes it can help kids to understand when things are tight.

      -Wendy

This is a great idea. I have never understood why parents won’t tell their kids their incomes and let the kids sit down with them while they are paying the bills. This is probably one the best things you could ever do with your kids.

      -Tawra

Not only that, but it teaches and gives children a better idea how to use a checkbook, balance a checkbook, be responsible with credits cards and generally make better financial decisions. I am so surprised about how many adults don’t have a clue where to begin teaching their children any of these things. Once again, it shows how important it is to train your children in every area, including finances.

      -Jill

Photo By: Betsssssy

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What can the average American do to save money?

I had a reporter from CBS News call me today asking how average people who are living paycheck to paycheck can get a savings account going.

I told her that one of the first things they can do is stop eating out. She later told me, "Well, you hear the stop eating out thing all the time. I want to know what normal, average people can do to save money who are living paycheck to paycheck."

Most "normal and average" middle class Americans who are having to live paycheck to paycheck aren’t doing so because of something unpreventable like medical costs. They are doing it because they are spending more than they earn on stuff they don’t need.

What are some of the areas where you can save?

Stop eating your way into debt! Yes, families do spend literally THOUSANDS of dollars a year eating out. Add it up. You will be shocked. If you only go out once a week you will spend almost $3,000 in one year. We had one reader email and say she and her husband stopped eating out and saved $22,000 in one year!!!

Too much stuff. Stop shopping. I spend $350 a year on clothes for our entire family. How many clothes do we need? We don’t need that many clothes and I buy most of our clothes at thrift stores and yard sales. Stop shopping just to have something to do.

Too many activities. It’s not abnormal now for people to have kids in two or three activities per week each. That’s crazy! Let them do ONE and one only. You will save money on the fees, gas driving there and eating out because you "don’t have time". The "average" family will spend $300-$500 a month on activities for just one child.

Groceries- Do you buy a bunch of junk food you don’t need? I spend $350-$400 a month on groceries. The "average" family spends $500-$900 a month, not including what they spend eating out.

Cars- Stop buying new cars you can’t afford. Why are you buying a car for $30,000 when you earn that amount in a year? Add up the interest, extra insurance and taxes. It does add up to that much. If you can’t pay cash, you shouldn’t buy a brand new car.

Treats- You don’t need a Starbucks coffee or other "treat" every day.

Housing- Why do you have a 3000 square foot house for a family of four? Get something smaller that you can afford and doesn’t cost as much to heat.

Now, you may not be in this boat and if you’re not then congratulations, but a LOT of middle class paycheck to paycheck Americans are. It’s time to stop whining about the "bad economy" and start taking some responsibility for your finances.

      -Tawra

photo by: Molly DG

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From: Michelle

Just wanted to give a response on the budgeting. I realize that sometimes recording every receipt is a pain, but I found out some interesting things when I actually did it. For 2006 I recorded my husbands and my income to the penny. Then I recorded all the expenses from our bank statements and ATM receipts. Then I recorded any cash receipts (against the cash withdrawn).What we found astounded us. We had spent pretty much my net checks and an extra $6,000 of his checks on unnecessary expenses.

Too tired to cook after long days, we found ourselves saying, "Lets just stop at a restaurant", "Oh lets just run through fast food for lunch or breakfast" or "How about a soda or coffee?" Well all that added up.

I am now not working, we are rarely eating out, and with one less income we are actually able to put more in savings than we did before. My husband does not mind my staying home (I have always worked) so I get some odds and ends done around the house that he does not have to try and do when he gets home now, so he feels less stress.

I plan on trying to work from home at some point, but it is not necessary to survive. I help with minor repairs around the house, painting, mowing the yard and such with all my new found spare time. You never really know HOW MUCH you are spending until you take a GOOD HARD LOOK at it.

Thanks for your website. It is what inspired me to check out our lifestyle spending.

Tawra’s Reply

One thing most people don’t realize is just how much money can be saved by staying home and not working. Meals eaten out alone can cost thousands. Just doing stuff around the house like painting the house, garage saleing, bargain grocery shopping can make staying home worth it. not only that but all the day care costs, gas, second car maintenance and repair, insurance and payments really add up. A lot of people don’t add up the true expense of working. There are times women could save MORE money by staying home than by working. It really pays to check and see if all those hours working really are bringing in more money.

P.S. We love your comments but any time we mention certain subjects we get swamped with comments from readers who are feeling defensive. One of those subjects is women working outside of the home. We are not making a statement about women working outside of the home in this article. We are talking about knowing what is happening with your money and how, sometimes, your working isn’t helping with your income as much as you thought and may actually be hurting you so please try to keep your comments along those lines.

Thanks so much!

For more easy and practical ways to save money and get out of debt, check out Dig out Of Debt and learn more about how to keep more of your money.

photo by: Tracy O

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Is It OK To Use Credit Cards Sometimes?

We received this question in response to an article that we included in the newsletter called "God Provides".

First let me say I love your newsletter. Very good information. I struggled with what you said about trusting in God and that it shows a lack of faith if you charge something.

I guess it struck a very personal chord with me – because my mother passed away last July and there was no money for the funeral, casket, headstone, etc. I can pay it off over about 17 months and am doing so – but had to put it on a charge card to do that. (Relatives did pitch in but covered only 1/5th of the expense.)

I guess I look at it like God is providing in that I have a job where I can make the payment for this. As I sat in that funeral home and the funeral director showed me the bill and asked how I would be paying for this… the charge card was all I had. I don’t think it was a lack of faith – it was a lack of funds. I am open to your thoughts and opinions on this. Just doin’ the best I can. Thanks – thanks for your newsletter and all the work you do on this. I do really enjoy it.

      -Ginger

That’s a good question, Ginger. Not everything I say here will be for you personally. I’m answering more broadly for the benefit of all of our readers.

What I was saying in that newsletter is that many of us don’t give God the time or the opportunity to work in our lives. We don’t have the faith to wait and see if God provides us the money for something or to find out if what we want is really what He thinks is best for us. Even though I really try to teach people to get out of debt, period, I do realize life happens and sometimes debt can’t be helped.

If we need something like a new coat, another car or a bigger house, many of us often become impatient or just don’t want to be inconvenienced and immediately charge these things instead of waiting and having the faith God will provide. This is bad debt.

Debt may be unavoidable in emergency situations. Sometimes we might have to charge things and your situation is the perfect example of one of those times. Not only was it an unexpected expense that had to be taken care of immediately but you also made sure it was a debt you could control by being able to pay it.

I don’t want to sound like I am contradicting myself but there are times when to be a wise steward of our money we may have to wisely use debt. I don’t recommend doing this often but it does sometimes happen.

Here is another example of where wisely using debt might be a good plan: I have my house paid for now and I decide to move. I find a house that is appraised at $250,000 and I can get it for $70,000. It is in a perfect location and in perfect condition. If I buy it I would have to take out a $10,000 loan. I have no debt, can easily afford to pay the payment and can even pay it off early. I would probably go into the $10,000 debt to get that home. It is a wise investment for me.

On the other hand, if I took out a $50,000 loan out for a new car, it would be a bad debt. A car depreciates quickly and I would immediately start losing money. If I really need a new car, it would not be difficult to find a much less expensive "basic" car. Taking out a loan for a 52 inch TV for a Christmas gift is a bad debt. Going into debt for Christmas gifts period is bad debt.

Going into debt temporarily to pay for unforeseen medical expenses for your child is another situation where debt may be necessary but it is bad debt if you charge a face lift or you are charging having your hair and nails done each month.

The main point I was trying to make was that we often lose out on the joy and excitement that comes when we see God come through for us and provide something we couldn’t do ourselves. We are like the woman who always complains to her friends that her husband is never there for her, especially in little things like helping her on with her coat or opening the car door for her.

What she fails to tell them (and probably doesn’t even see) is that her husband would love to help her and do those things for her but because she is always in such a hurry and so independent she doesn’t give him a chance to do them. She says, "Let’s go to the store," and before he is out of his chair she is at the door with her coat on. While he is locking the door of the house, she runs to the car and jumps in.

She is losing out of the joy of knowing someone cares for her and cherishes her, even in the little things, and her husband is losing out of the joy you feel when you help someone you love. Both of them lose out on the closeness that comes with the pat or squeeze as he puts her coat on or the hand on her elbow as he helps her into the car.

We lose out on the same feelings with God when we always stay one step ahead of Him and don’t give Him time to gently and lovingly help us. That was the main point I was trying to make in the "God Provides" newsletter– not, "Shame on you if you don’t wait on God because that shows you have no faith!" I was trying to remind people not to just immediately charge something when an obstacle comes, but to exercise your faith "muscles" in God more often.

The day may come when you have no credit cards or money to bail you out. Will you have exercised your muscles enough and will they be strong enough to carry you through? I don’t know. That is between you and God alone and is not for me or any one else to judge. It’s just something for you to think about.

-Jill

A Few Notes From Tawra:

We recommend setting aside an emergency savings fund so that you have the money when an unexpected expense comes along. Life is full of unexpected expenses, so it is good to "expect" them. By cutting back on optional expenses like eating out, you can save the extra money so that when an emergency comes, you have the money to cover it. It may take a while to get a good emergency savings, but if you keep the optional expenses low and put as much in it as you can, you will be able to do it.

We found that once we set aside a reasonable savings to cover unexpected expenses like car repairs and unusually high medical bills, we used our credit cards a lot less. Then, when we had an unexpected expense, we paid it out of that savings and then replenished the savings. And when you pay back your savings, you’re not making interest payments.

Some people suggest keeping a lot of money in savings. We think that’s great, but keep in mind that you’re not saving anything if you are paying high interest on debt while you keep a large savings. Keep a reasonable emergency savings fund and then pay off the debt to eliminate the interest expense!

Photo By: Fosforix

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From: Natalie T.

Hey, gas prices here in the west are way, way up so I thought I would share how we are coping.

People complain (including me before I decided to take action) that it takes "so much money" to get gas and fill up the tank. Who says you have to get a full tank? Who says you can’t budget for it just like groceries? I’ve decided that we can only spend $40 every two weeks on gas for my minivan (coincides with my husband’s paycheck, I’m a SAHM), and my job is to make that gas last just like I make milk last by only giving "appropriate" serving sizes.

So to make that 12 or so gallons of gas last two weeks, I do as much as possible on one day with a well planned out route, and try to avoid driving for non-critical things. Grocery, pharmacy and grandparent visits are on the "go" list when they are together and well planned. Pizza and driving to pick one up is on the "no" list. (Not only did we not pay for a pizza, we also didn’t waste 1/3 gallon of gas to pick it up).

Once I applied the grocery principle to filling up the car, our vehicle gas expenses have been budgetable and predictable.

Jill’s Reply:

Thank you Natalie. We need to use this principle with everything we buy. Part of our problem has been that we have a generation who were given credit cards and loans freely but weren’t mature enough to use them wisely.

It was like taking a kid to a toy shop and saying, "Here, use this card and you can buy what you want. When it gets filled you can get another." Can you imagine what a kid with free rein in a toy store would be like?

I was always taught to use what I had carefully. You didn’t make a trip to the store to buy one item. Even if you needed milk you made do without it because it saved on gas.

People just fill up their cars, buy homes, buy cars, clothes and TVs with out giving it too much thought. They consider gas a necessity, which it is for some, but like many necessities you have to control them and budget them, not just buy them without thinking because you can use a credit card.

Food is a necessity but that doesn’t mean you should spend it on gallons of the most expensive ice cream, chips, pop or, as you mentioned, pizza. You need to give yourself a certain amount of money to use for food. If you happen to have some left over, you can buy a treat. If you run out, you may have to find ways to make it stretch better.

Thanks for a really good tip!

Photo By: futureatlas.com

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I thought I’d share a short post about preventing your bills from getting lost. If you keep things organized you can save money on fees and reduce the stress of worrying about bills being late.

Margaret Writes:

Our bills are sorted by date–the due date is written on the envelope. Then the pile is organized by due date, with the ones due soonest on top. These are paper clipped in the checkbook. Top bill gets paid first.

      -Margaret

My system is similar. I line my bills in order in a napkin holder (one that just has 2 bars to hold the napkins because I can see the bills easier), with my checkbook behind them.

Margaret, your system would be great if need your bill paying to be portable, like if you don’t have room for a desk or  travel a lot. My parents travel a lot and my mom takes her bills with her.

I hope I don’t blow some of your minds out there but, to be honest, I usually only have one or two bills in my bill holder because, when I can, I pay them the day after I receive them. To do this, I usually try to keep one or two extra months’ income in my checking account.

(Note from Mike: I do this with our bills, too. I pay most of them right away. Then I never have to wonder whether I paid all of the bills and if we have a sudden emergency, I can let it ride a week or two without consequences. We also keep some of our savings in the checking account at all times. Then, not only do we have the money when the bills arrive, but if we make a mistake with the checkbook we don’t bounce any checks. It took some work to save the "cushion" money for our checking account, but it has made out lives much easier!)

I know some people wait until the last minute to pay their bills because they don’t have the money or they have it and want to earn more interest. I have always felt since I have used these peoples services already, I owe them so I pay right away. It’s just one of my little quirks from being in business for myself years ago. I always appreciated it when my customers paid me right away. Sometimes I was desperate to be paid. If my customers hadn’t paid me we would have literally starved

(Note from Mike: Most people aren’t making enough interest on the money to make it worth holding the money anyway.)

I know in most cases people are dealing with big companies but I still feel if I use a service I should pay for it right away. As noble as that all sounds there are selfish reasons I pay my bills right away.

• I don’t want to spend my time thinking about or looking at an unpaid bill. It’s out the door, done and over with.
• Things happen. If I accidentally put a check in with the wrong bill or a wrong address on the envelope, I still have plenty of time to pay it without a late fee if it gets returned.
• If I get sick and have to go to the hospital I don’t have to worry whether I have bills that need to be paid. I am pretty well caught up.

I know that many of you pay over the Internet these days but this is for the handful of us ancients who pay bills the old fashioned way– with a checkbook.

      -Jill

P.S. Some of you can’t imagine being able to pay your bills instantly but it is doable. It is one of the lovely stress free perks about being debt free. That is why we work so hard at trying to teach people how to get out of debt– because, as many of you know, it feels so wonderful!

photo by jenn_jenn

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Is frugal living harming your kids?

A couple of weeks ago I hung up the phone after talking to Tawra and was going to post on the blog about her background noise. I always get such a kick out of it. I’m afraid that I was waylaid and didn’t get it posted but today, after a media person asked Tawra if she thought her children were really happy living the frugal life, I decided to post what I intended to write before… or I will as soon as I get my laughter under control.

If that poor reporter only knew how funny her question was… Why do I say that? Because I love calling my daughter just so I can listen her background noise. Usually one child is singing at the top of their lungs with all the gusto and joy of an opera singer, then child number two is whistling away with another happy song, number three is laughing hysterically at something and last but not least is the baby saying either "Hi" or "uh oh" or laughing at big brother laughing.

There is absolutely nothing that a grandmother loves to hear more than the singing, whistling and laughing of her grandchildren. It does my heart good to know that after many years of hard work and, at times, uncertainty that I have raised two well adjusted, happy responsible kids and the fruit of my labor is seeing them doing such a great job of raising and giving my grandkids a happy home. And guess what? They were raised in a frugal home, too.

What that poor reporter didn’t understand was that living debt free and frugally is the happiest place for a family to be. The stress is removed because mom and dad aren’t always fighting over money or having to worry about keeping up with the Joneses.

The people are happy because they are able to spend more time together as a family and not away from each other trying to make more money so they will have more money to spend which in turn leads to each person to going his own way and spending that money for more activities or on shopping sprees. Boy I got confused just writing that let alone living it.

The kids don’t feel the tension in the air that they might lose their house because mom and dad bought a house with a mortgage they couldn’t afford. They don’t even notice gas prices going up because mom and dad have enough cushion and wiggle room in their budget to allow for these types of things.

They don’t have to depend on someone or something to give them happiness or to help them find joy. They get just as much pleasure and happiness from digging a mud hole in the backyard or watching the hummingbirds as they do from playing the latest computer game.

They have learned at an early age what it takes some adults a lifetime to learn (and many die never knowing) and that is happiness is not related to how much money and stuff you have. If you are not happy without money, you won’t be happy with money either.

What that poor reporter didn’t understand and so many others can’t wrap their mind around is – Happiness is love and  freedom and when you have debt free parents that love you, you have everything.

-Jill

P.S. They also have a "Nana" that loves them very much too.

photo by: tierecke

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We get so many questions over and over about meals and meal planning. While I was looking up something to answer one reader’s question, I came across some notes I had written years ago from a class I had taken.

This statement I wrote is clear, simple and pretty much covers everything you need to know when preparing a meal. 

Meal Planning 101

Meals should be planned, be regular, be on time, taste good, be nutritious, fit within your budget, smell good and be attractive.

It might help to write this statement out and keep it in your kitchen somewhere or with your coupons and meal planning things. Then, as you plan your meals, you can go quickly go over the list and see if your meal satisfies all or most of these points.

If you remember the above statement, that is all you really need to know but I decided to add a little detail to it to give you some ideas about what that statement means.

Planned - Planning helps to save money and eliminates the last minute stress of wondering "What am I making tonight for dinner?!" This is the key to all meal planning and probably will save you more money than anything else.

Regular – We often know we need nutritious meals but sometimes don’t realize having meals on a regular basis really helps our digestive system function better. That means picking a time to have dinner close to the same time each day.

Having regular meals also helps our families emotionally. We are built to like consistency in our lives, especially children. There is something comforting in knowing no matter what frustrating things happened throughout the day, when your family arrives home, there is one constant in their lives – dinner. If you don’t think this is true, try it for a week or two. Then stop doing it and see how your family reacts.

On time – Getting meals prepared on time can be a little tricky for new cooks. It takes a little practice but you can learn to do it. Start preparing the food that will take the longest to cook first. Then work on the next longest and so on. Also, do as much ahead of time as possible. This goes for everyone. Brand new cooks may want to set the table long before even beginning the meal because it is one less thing to deal with but later, with practice, you can usually set the table while you are waiting for something to cook on the stove. With practice, you will also get to the point where you can toss a salad while you are waiting for the potatoes to cook but this all comes with time. While you are learning, keep your meals simple and composed of just a few easy dishes.

Taste Good - Pick foods your family likes and learn to cook them. I know this can be a challenge for some of us. Some people have a harder time learning to cook than others in the same way that some are better at gardening or sewing but you really need to try the best you can to learn some basics.

It may take a little work but you need to find foods that taste good. You may have to try different brands and varieties of the food. This may mean learning things like being fresh doesn’t always mean something tastes better. Most of the time I can’t tell any difference when I use frozen or fresh broccoli in my cooked foods but I can tell a difference between the brands of frozen broccoli I buy. To save money, use frozen foods if you can’t tell a difference and use the savings to buy fresh foods where you really can tell a difference.

Be nutritious – I have touched on this a lot in other articles but basically this means you need to learn about nutrients and what your family needs. Study. We grab anything that has organic or healthy written on the label but many of us couldn’t tell you what main foods are more rich in iron or vitamin B. If you are that concerned about your family’s health and insist that you must eat organic, at least learn how many calories and what nutrients are in the food. Read a book or do some research on the Internet. Don’t just read labels.

Fit your budget – This is simple. You may want to have steak for dinner but your budget only allows chicken, so chicken it is.

Smell Good - You truly use all of your senses when you eat. If your family can’t get the food past their noses, it won’t make it into their mouths. Also, food smells have a strong impact on people emotionally, especially when the smells are connected with home and family. Consider how often you hear an adult talk about memories of home and half of the time they mention some smell they remember.

Be Attractive - Like I mentioned above, we use all of our senses. If the meal doesn’t look good or looks "gross", they won’t eat it. Don’t forget to use lots of different colored food. Not only does this help with eye appeal but it also is an easy way to know you are giving your family a more nutritionally balanced meal. Many different colors means well balanced. Don’t forget to use different shapes and textures of food, too.

Meal planning is one of those jobs we tend to let go because we don’t consider them as important or as pressing as other things– kind of like folding clothes and putting them away. We can get them washed and dried but not folded and put away. But doing these things and following through with them can really make our lives easier and get rid of a lot of stress and always saves us money.

Rethink some things in your life that you are letting slide. You might be surprised a what a difference changing a few things will make.

      -Jill

Photo By: Dyanna

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